Oil recovery apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

An oil recovery system includes an inflatable boom wall, a plurality of inflatable storage tanks at spaced intervals along the boom wall, and a plurality of oil catchers adjacent to each of the storage tanks. Selected ones of the oil catchers are attached to the boom wall, adjacent to the storage tanks, while other ones of the catchers are free-floating and attached to corresponding storage tanks by means of a flexible line. The oil recovery system further includes a plurality of plow boats, each of which has adjustable, bow-mounted plates for pushing oil and other surface contaminants into the oil catchers. The material collected by the catchers drains by gravity into the corresponding storage tanks for temporary storage. The storage tanks are pumped out periodically to transfer the contents thereof to permanent storage tanks aboard a barge or other oil collection vessel.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/596,779, filed Oct.12, 1990, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,363.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the recovery of oil and othercontaminants and in particular to an apparatus and method for containingand recovering oil spills.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The drilling and processing of hydrocarbons, particularly crude oil, iscrucial to the maintenance of modern day society. A great deal of oilthat is drilled and collected for refining is obtained from the earthbeneath oceans and other large bodies of water. However, one of the mosttroublesome and difficult problems that are encountered in offshoredrilling and production is the ever-looming possibility of an oil spill.Whenever this occurs, either through a blow-out or a rupture in an oiltransport line, an explosion on an oil rig, or a catastrophe encounteredby an oil tanker at sea, the crude oil spills out onto the surface ofthe water, where currents may carry the oil for thousands of miles andeventually the oil may be washed up upon a beach or other shore line bywave action.

Initially, the spilled oil will float on the surface of the water andmay be confined to a relatively small area. However, as time progresses,currents will disperse the oil over a progressively larger area and waveaction will intersperse the oil with the water, making clean-upoperations even more difficult. Furthermore, when the oil is washed upon a beach or shore, recreational use of the beach may be ruined for aconsiderable period of time and many species of wildlife may be severelydamaged.

Numerous efforts by mankind to devise methods and systems for eitherpreventing or containing oil spills have met with limited success. Thequicker the clean-up operation begins, the more effective it will be. Itis therefore necessary that oil recovery equipment be transported to thesite of the spill and quickly deployed in order to expedite the clean-upoperation and minimize the resulting damage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Various types of oil recovery systems are known in the art. One type ofsystem uses an inflatable boom to confine the oil spill, as shown inU.S. Pat. Nos. 4,059,962 and 4,211,659. In other types of systems, anoil-absorbing material is dispersed over the surface of the spill, asshown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,734,294 and 4,769,142. Furthermore, oilrecovery systems typically include means for collecting oil and oilywater and for separating the oil from the water, as shown in U.S. Pat.Nos. 3,710,943; 3,850,807; 4,146,482; 4,702,832; and 4,752,393.

Although prior art oil recovery systems have achieved some degree ofsuccess, their performance still leaves much to be desired. For example,waves and currents, particularly in the open ocean make it difficult toconfine the oil spill and recover the oil before the oil is mixed withthe sea water and reaches shore. Large oil spills are often dispersed inthe open ocean, which severely limits the effectiveness of recoveryoperations.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to providean improved oil recovery apparatus and method.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and methodfor enhancing the recovery of oil and other contaminants from a body ofwater.

Still another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatusand method for confining and recovering oil spilled in a body of water.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an oil recoveryapparatus which can be air-lifted to the site of an oil spill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the presentinvention wherein a new and improved apparatus and method for recoveringmaterial, such as oil and other contaminants, from a body of waterincludes barrier means for confining at least some of the materialwithin a recovery zone, means having a top opening for being deployed inthe recovery zone to capture material from the body of water, meansoperative in the recovery zone for urging material into the capturingmeans through the top opening thereof, and means coupled to thecapturing means for storing material received therefrom.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, the barrier meansincludes a plurality of flexible sections sequentially connected to forman elongated wall. Each of the sections has an inflatable top member forfloating on the surface of the water and a relatively flat bottommember, depending from the top member, for being submerged to provide anunderwater barrier, extending from the surface to a predetermined depth.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the capturing meansis comprised of first and second capture devices, each of which has aninternal passageway communicating with the top opening thereof. Thefirst and second capture devices have a positive buoyancy, so that therespective top openings thereof are above the surface of the body ofwater. The first and second capture devices further include respectivebottom openings communicating with the respective internal passageways.Each of the bottom openings is adapted for receiving a conduit, such asa flexible hose, for allowing material in the corresponding passagewayto flow by gravity feed through the bottom opening of each of thecapture devices into the storage means. Material, such as oil and othersurface contaminants, is captured when the material spills over the topof a particular capture device and is directed downwardly into thecorresponding passageway.

In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the storagemeans includes at least one collapsible storage tank having an internalstorage chamber. The tank further includes at least one inflatablemember to maintain the tank in a positively buoyant condition. The baseportion of the tank includes a ballast material for maintaining the tankin a relatively stable, upright position. Means is provided forcommunicating with the storage chamber, for allowing material to enterinto and be removed from the tank.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention, at least onemarine vehicle, having a pushing device mounted on the bow portionthereof, is provided for deflecting water and material on the surface ofthe water ahead of the vehicle. The pushing device includes a stationarycentral plate and first and second movable wing plates located in frontof the central plate. Respective portions of the central plate and wingplates are submerged for exerting a pushing force on the water ahead ofthe vehicle. The first and Second wing plates are movable laterally withrespect to the central plate to adjust the lateral extent of the pushingdevice. Means is provided for adjusting the first and second wing plateslaterally.

In the preferred embodiment, a barrier wall is deployed so as to atleast partially surround the area of surface contamination, such as anoil spill. A plurality of storage tanks are positioned at predeterminedintervals along the barrier wall. A plurality of first oil capturedevices are positioned along the barrier wall, such that each of thefirst capture devices is coupled between a portion of the barrier walland one of the storage tanks. Each of the first capture devices includesa bottom member, and front and back walls and side walls, extendingupwardly from the bottom member, such that the front and back walls andside walls extend above the surface of the water. The back wall extendshigher than the front wall, so that oil and water which spills over thefront wall will be arrested by the back wall and directed downwardlywithin the internal passageway of the corresponding first capturedevice.

A plurality of second oil capture devices are located in the vicinity ofeach of the storage tanks, so that each of the second oil capturedevices is substantially free-floating within the recovery zone, but iscoupled to one of the storage tanks by means of a flexible hose or thelike. The second oil capture device includes a bottom member and asubstantially cylindrical wall extending upwardly therefrom above thesurface of the water. The height of the cylindrical wall above the watersurface varies around the perimeter of the top opening. A back portionof the wall extends higher than a front portion thereof, so that oil andwater which spills over the front portion of the wall is arrested by theback portion thereof and directed downwardly within the internalpassageway of the corresponding second capture device. The captured oiland water will then flow by gravity through the flexible hose into thecorresponding storage tank.

Although a certain amount of oil will spill into the first and secondcapture devices by wave action as the prevailing currents carry the oilin the direction of the barrier wall, oil recovery is substantiallyenhanced by using marine vehicles to push the oil in the direction ofthe capture devices. To this end, a plurality of marine vehicles, havingbow-mounted pushing devices, are deployed within the recovery zone forurging the oil on the surface of the water in the direction of thecapture devices. The central plate and wing plates of each pushingdevice cooperate to define a concave pushing surface. Respective top andbottom portions of the central plates and wing plates terminate inrespective curved flanges. The top and bottom curved flanges of thecentral plate define respective top and bottom channels for guiding thelateral movement of the wing plates. The respective curved bottomflanges of the central plate and wing plates penetrate through the waterto enhance the pushing action and the respective top curved flanges ofthe central plate and wing plates inhibit spillage of oil and water overthe top of the plates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features, characteristics, advantages, and theinvention in general, will be better understood from the following, moredetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an oil recovery operation in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an inflatable boom wall for confining anoil spill, according to the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are respective side elevation and perspective views of afree-floating oil collection device, in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a boom wall-mounted oilcollection device, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an inflatable storage tank, inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of marine vehicle, which is equipped forpushing oil and water in a predetermine direction, in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a pushing device mounted on the bow ofthe marine vehicle of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the inflatable boom wall taken along theline 8--8 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

It will be appreciated that for purposes of clarity and where deemedappropriate, reference numerals have been repeated in the Figures toindicate corresponding features.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an oil recovery system in accordance with thepresent invention includes an inflatable boom wall 10 having a pluralityof elongated oil catchers 12 and a plurality of storage tanks 14,attached at predetermined positions along boom wall 10, a plurality offree-floating, substantially cylindrical oil catchers 16, and aplurality of plow boats 18 for urging oil and other contaminants in thedirection of the oil catchers 12 and 16, as shown. FIG. 1 depicts oilbeing spilled onto the surface of a body of water through a hole 17 inan oil tanker 19, as indicated by the curved lines 20. Currents and waveaction will disperse the oil over the surface of the water and will tendto move the oil in a direction corresponding to the prevailing currentsin that area. Lines 20 illustrate the dispersal of the oil over aprogressively larger area as it is carried away from the source of thespill by the prevailing currents.

Boom wall 10 is positioned "downstream" of the spill to provide afloating barrier. Boom wall 10 is preferably of sufficient length to atleast partially surround the spill, and confine the spill within aprescribed recovery zone. As the spill moves toward boom wall 10, atleast some of the oil will be captured by oil catchers 12 and 16 in thevicinity of storage tanks 14. Plow boats 18 each have a bow-mountedpushing device 22 for urging the oil toward oil catchers 12 and 16, toenhance the recovery operation.

Boom wall 10 is comprised of a plurality of flexible sections 26connected end to end to define an elongated wall for confining the oilspill. Referring to FIG. 2, each section 26 is preferably comprised of aflexible material, such as virgin vinyl, and includes an inflatable topmember 28 and a relatively flat bottom member 29 depending therefrom. Ascan be best seen in FIG. 8, bottom member 29 is comprised of two sheetsof flexible material 29A and 29B in facing relation and joined togetheralong respective vertical seams 33 to define a corresponding pluralityof discrete internal chambers 31.

Top member 28 is completely enclosed for defining an inflatable chamber.A canister or other source of air pressure (not shown) is preferablydisposed within the inflatable chamber of top member 28. The canister orother source of air pressure is activatable by conventional means whenthe corresponding section 26 is deployed.

Selected ones of the chambers 31 contain ballast material, such as leadweights 35, to hold bottom member 29 in a vertical orientation whensubmerged. Each lead weight 35 substantially fills the correspondingweighted chamber 31. Successive weighted chambers define a weightedportion 30. Three weighted portions 30 are depicted in FIG. 2. Otherones of the chambers are not weighted, to define respective unweightedportions 32, respectively interspersed between adjacent weightedportions 30. Two unweighted portions 32 are depicted in FIG. 2. Eachweighted portion 30 extends horizontally approximately six feet and eachunweighted portion 32 separating adjacent weighted portions 30 extendshorizontally approximately eight inches. Unweighted portions 32 provideconvenient fold regions, so that each section 26 can be folded when ithas been recovered aboard an aircraft or boat and the corresponding topmember 28 is deflated. The vertical (depth) dimension of each section 26will vary depending upon its position in boom wall 10. For example, inthe area of the heaviest oil spill, sections 26 may extend down to eightfeet below the waterline. At the opposite ends of boom wall 10, sections26 may extend underwater only two feet. The depth dimension of theintermediate sections 26 will typically fall in the range between twofeet and eight feet.

As shown in FIG. 2, when section 26 is deployed, the inflated top member28 will ride at or Just above the water level 34. Weighted portions 30and unweighted portions 32 will extend from water level 34 downwardly toform a barrier from the surface of the water down to a predetermineddepth. Section 26 includes a plurality of tie rings 36 at spacedintervals of approximately one foot along the top, bottom and side edgesthereof for attaching each section 26 to the next adjacent section 26 oneach side thereof or for attaching a particular section 26 to acorresponding boom-mounted catcher 12. A suitable attachment member,such as a heavy plastic "slip-tie" (not shown), is preferably used tointerconnect adjacent sections 26 and to connect particular ones of thesections 26 to a corresponding catcher 12.

To enhance stability and to increase the drag force on boom wall 10, oneor more weighted panels 38 can be suspended at predetermined positionsbelow boom wall 10. One such panel 38 is depicted in FIG. 2. Each panel38 includes a plurality of tie-rings 36, adapted for receiving anattachment device, such as a plastic "slip-tie" (not shown), to securethe panel 38 to one of the sections 26 of boom wall 10. Each panel 38 isconstructed in substantially the same manner and has substantially thesame dimensions as one of the weighted portions 30. When a panel 38 isattached to boom wall 10, panel 38 will hang below the correspondingsection 26, as illustrated in FIG. 2. In lieu of adding panels 38 atselected locations along boom wall 10, a conventional anchoring devicecan be attached to boom wall 10, particularly if it is desired tomaintain boom wall 10 in a fixed position.

Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, oil catcher 16 is preferably comprised ofa relatively rigid, lightweight material for maintaining a positivebuoyancy, so that at least a portion thereof extends above water level34, as best shown in FIG. 3A. Oil catcher 16 is in the shape of atruncated cylinder, the vertical height of wall 40 above base 42 beingvariable around the circumference of a top opening 44. The diameter oftop opening 44 is preferably on the order of fifteen feet. As best seenin FIG. 3A, wall 40 extends above water line 34 approximately eightinches at its lowest point (as indicated at 43) and approximately threefeet at its highest point (as indicated at 45).

A plurality of oil catchers 16 are located in the vicinity of eachstorage tank 14, as seen in FIG. 1. The lowest part of wall 40, asindicated at 43, faces away from boom wall 10 in the direction of theoil spill, so that oil and other contaminants on the surface of thewater can spill over the top of wall 40 at lowest part 43 and into thecorresponding catcher 16. The highest part of wall 40, as indicated at45, which is substantially diametrically opposed to lowest part 43, ishigh enough above the water level 34, so that even at the crest of awave, the oil will not spill over high part 45. When oil and othercontaminants are captured by an oil catcher 16, high part 45 of wall 40will deflect the oil and water downwardly into the bottom of catcher 16.Catcher 16 has a funnel-shaped interior passageway 46 communicating withtop opening 44, and an opening 48, having a diameter of approximatelyeighteen inches, at the bottom of passageway 46. Catcher 16 has arelatively shallow depth. For example, bottom opening 48 will typicallybe submerged only two to three feet beneath water level 34 to maintainthe gravity feed to the corresponding storage tank 14. A flexible hose50 is attached at one end thereof to bottom opening 48 and at anopposite end thereof (not shown) to a corresponding storage tank 14.Flexible hose 50 acts as a conduit between oil catcher 16 and itscorresponding storage tank 14, such that oil and oily water captured bycatcher 16 will flow by gravity into the corresponding storage tank 14.Other than its connection to storage tank 14 by means of flexible hose50, catcher 16 is substantially free-floating. Catcher 16 is preferablymanufactured from a rotation molding polyethylene plastic or agel-coated fiberglass. Although not shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, tie-ringsor other attachment devices can be located on the outside of catcher 16to allow catcher 16 to be further secured to its corresponding storagetank 14.

Referring to FIG. 4, each boom wall-mounted oil catcher 12 includestie-rings 52 at each end thereof, to allow oil catcher 12 to be securedto a corresponding storage tank 14 at one end of catcher 12 and to boomwall 10 at the opposite end of catcher 12, as seen in FIG. 1. The tierings 52 at only one end of catcher 12 are shown in FIG. 4. Catcher 12extends horizontally between the corresponding storage tank 14 and boomwall 10 at least fifteen feet. Catcher 12 is configured in the shape ofan elongated trough, having a front wall 54 and a back wall 56, whichextends substantially higher above water level 34 than front wall 54.Both front wall 54 and back wall 56 terminate in respective top flanges58 and 60, which extend inwardly to partially close top opening 62. Oneskilled in the art will appreciate that the opposed ends of catcher 12are closed, so that catcher 12 will be substantially completelyenclosed, except for top opening 62.

Front wall 54 preferably extends above water level 34 approximatelyeight inches and back wall 56 extends above water level 34 approximatelythree feet, so that catcher 12 functions in substantially the samemanner as catcher 16, described above with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B.Specifically, oil and oily water which spill over the top of front wall54 are captured by catcher 12. Back wall 56 is preferably high enoughabove water level 34 to prevent the oil and oily water from spillingover back wall 56, so that the oil and oily water which spill over thetop of front wall 54 are substantially captured by catcher 12. Catcher12 has an interior passageway 65, communicating with top opening 62, andan opening 66, having a diameter of approximately eighteen inches, atthe bottom of passageway 65. A flexible hose 68 connects catcher 12 withone of the storage tanks 14, so that the oil and oily water flowingthrough bottom opening 66 will be conducted by gravity feed into thecorresponding storage tank 14. Catcher 12 has a relatively shallowdepth. For example, bottom opening 66 will typically be submerged onlytwo to three feet to maintain the gravity feed to the correspondingstorage tank 14.

Referring to FIG. 5, a collapsible storage tank 14 is depicted indetail. Tank 14 is preferably manufactured from a relatively thick (atleast one inch or more), reinforced virgin vinyl. A plurality ofinflatable rings 70 are disposed on the top portion of tank 14 forproviding the required buoyancy. As tank 14 fills up with oil and oilywater, rings 70 can be inflated sequentially to counteract theincreasing weight within storage tank 14 as tank 14 is progressivelyfilled from corresponding ones of catchers 12 and 16. A canister orother source of air pressure (not shown) is located within each of theinflatable rings to allow sequential activation of rings 70 in aconventional manner.

An inlet/outlet line 72, having a diameter of approximately ten inches,extends from an interior bottom portion of tank 14 through the topthereof. A butterfly valve 74 is located in line 72 for selectivelyopening and closing line 72. When storage tank 14 is first deployed, itis in a substantially collapsed state, so that air pressure must beintroduced therein to inflate the tank 14 to the desired storagecapacity. Air pressure is introduced into tank 14 via line 72. Butterflyvalve 74 is opened and an air hose (not shown) is connected directly toline 72 for introducing air pressure into tank 14. When the air hose isdisconnected, valve 74 is closed to maintain air pressure within storagetank 14. As tank 14 expands because of the air pressure being introducedtherein, a base portion 76, containing a ballast material, such as leadweights, will sink to maintain tank 14 in a stable, upright position, asshown in FIG. 5. In normal operation, only a relatively small topportion of tank 14 will be above water level 34. By maintaining only arelatively small portion of storage tank 14 above water level 34, thestability of tank 14 is enhanced and the gravity flow of oil and othercontaminants from catchers 12 and 16 into tank 14 is facilitated.

A connector fitting, having three eighteen inch feed lines 78, 80 and82, is located on each side of storage tank 14. Each connector fittingfurther includes a butterfly valve 84, which is in an open position forallowing material in feed lines 78, 80 and 82 to flow by gravity feedinto storage tank 14. When tank 14 is full or when recovery of tank 14is desired, valves 84 are closed to prevent material from flowing intoor out of tank 14. One of the feed lines 78, 80 or 82 on each side oftank 14 is connected to an adjacent boom wall-mounted catcher 12, whilethe other two feed lines are connected to two of the free-floatingcatchers 16. Thus, storage tank 14 will accumulate material collected bythe two adjacent boom wall-mounted catchers 12 and from four of thefree-floating catchers 16.

The contents of tank 14 are removed via inlet/outlet line 72 by openingbutterfly valve 74 and connecting a pump suction hose (not shown)thereto. The contents are then pumped out of storage tank 14 to apermanent storage tank aboard an oil recovery vessel (not shown), whichis preferably located on the opposite side of boom wall 10 from the oilspill. Since the water is heavier than the oil, the water will sink tothe bottom of tank 14 and will be pumped out of tank 14 through line 72before the oil. Upon completion of the pumping operation, butterflyvalve 74 is returned to the closed position. Lines 78, 80 and 82 feedinto tank 14 at a position below water level 34 and sufficiently belowthe respective bottom openings of the catchers 12 and 16 which areconnected to tank 14, to maintain a gravity feed into tank 14. However,the lower the lines 78, 80 and 82 feed into tank 14, the less will bethe storage capacity thereof because the level of material within tank14 must be maintained below the positions at which lines 78, 80 and 82feed into tank 14. Otherwise, material would backflow from tank 14 intofeed lines 78, 80 and 82. The respective connections of feed lines 78,80 and 82 to tank 14 should be approximately three to five feet belowwater level 34 so that the connections are below the respective bottomsof the corresponding catchers 12 and 16, to maintain the requiredgravity flow, while allowing efficient use of the storage capacity oftank 14. When full, tank 14 has a diameter in the range from thirty tosixty feet at its maximum dimension and extends twenty to forty feetbelow water line 34.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, each plow boat 18 includes a bow-mountedpushing device 22, which is comprised of a stationary central plate 88and two movable wing plates 90 and 92. Central plate 88 is attached tothe front of a relatively flat work platform 94. Respective top andbottom portions of plates 88, 90 and 92 terminate in respective curvedflanges. The bottom curved flanges of plates 88, 90 and 92 are submergedduring normal operation and penetrate through the water to facilitatemovement of plates 88, 90 and 92 through the water. The top curvedflanges of plates 88, 90 and 92 are above the water line for deflectingwater and spray downwardly and out ahead of plow boat 18 to inhibitspillage over the top of plates, 88, 90 and 92. Respective top andbottom curved flanges 96 and 98 of central plate 88 define respectivetop and bottom channels for receiving respective curved top and bottomcurved flanges 100 and 102 of wing plates 90 and 92.

As best seen in FIG. 7, wing plates 90 and 92 are laterally movable, asconstrained by top and bottom flanges 96 and 98, by means of a gearmechanism, which is comprised of a pair of elongated toothed racks 104and 106, respectively coupled to wing plates 90 and 92, and a pinion108, which is operable by means of a handle 110, extending through anopening 112 in work platform 94. The teeth of pinion 108 are in meshingengagement with the teeth of both racks 104 and 106. In operation, therotation of handle 110 in a clockwise direction (as viewed from theperspective of FIG. 7) also rotates pinion 108 in a clockwise direction,thereby moving racks 104 and 106, and the respective plates 90 and 92attached thereto, toward one another, and decreasing the lateral extentof pushing device 22. Rotation of handle 110 in a counterclockwisedirection also rotates pinion 108 in a counterclockwise direction,thereby separating racks 104 and 106, and the respective plates 90 and92, to increase the lateral extent of pushing device 22. Central plate88 is positioned behind wing plates 90 and 92 to provide a rear supportmember.

When wing plates 90 and 92 are positioned as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, aportion of central plate 88 is exposed, so that plates 88, 90 and 92define a continuous, concave surface for pushing oil and othercontaminants at or near the surface of the water toward selected ones ofoil catchers 12 and 16. The pushing action of plow boats 18 will pile upoil and oily water in the vicinity of catchers 12 and 16, so that oiland oily water will spill over into the corresponding catchers 12 and16. Each of the plates 88, 90 and 92 has a lateral extent ofapproximately seven feet. Wing plates 90 and 92 are adjustable laterallyapproximately four feet, so that when plates 90 and 92 are fullyextended laterally, at least the innermost three feet of each plate 90and 92 is supported from behind by central plate 88.

The oil recovery apparatus and method described above is particularlywell-suited for being transported by air to the site of an oil spill andfor being rapidly deployed from an aircraft. The boom wall and storagetanks are inflated after being deployed on site, so that the boom walland storage tanks can be stored in a deflated condition on board atransport aircraft, such as a relatively large cargo plane which is thecivilian equivalent of the Air Force C-5 Galaxy, manufactured byLockheed Aircraft Corporation. The non-inflatable components, namely thefree-floating and boom wall-mounted oil catchers, are relatively smalland can be transported to the oil spill site either by air or by boat.The oil recovery apparatus and method according to the present inventionprovides significant advantages over prior art recovery apparatus andmethod, not only in terms of reduced deployment time, but also in termsof efficiency and effectiveness of the clean-up operation.

Although the invention has been described in part by making detailedreference to a preferred embodiment, such detail is intended to be andwill be understood to be instructional rather than restrictive. It willbe appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations may be madein the structure and operation without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, as defined by the claims appended hereto.

I claim:
 1. Apparatus operable in a body of water for confining materialwithin a predetermined recovery zone, said apparatus comprising aflexible barrier having an inflatable top member adapted to float on thesurface of the body of water and a relatively flat bottom member,depending from said top member, said bottom member being adapted forsubmergence to provide an underwater barrier extending from the surfaceof the body of water to a predetermined depth, said bottom member beingcomprised of first and second sheets of flexible material in facingrelation and joined together to define a plurality of discrete,elongated, substantially vertically oriented internal chambers betweensaid first and second sheets, selected ones of said chambers containingballast material to define a plurality of weighted, substantiallyvertically oriented, elongated chambers to hold said bottom member in asubstantially vertical orientation when submerged, at least one of saidchambers being an unweighted chamber forming a folding region andcomprising means permitting folding of the flexible barrier upon itselfat said folding region formed by said at least one unweighted chamber.2. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ballast material is a rigid weightwhich substantially fills the corresponding weighted chamber. 3.Apparatus of claim 1 further including at least one panel member adaptedfor attachment to said bottom member, to increase the depth of saidflexible barrier.
 4. Apparatus of claim 3 wherein said at least onepanel member and said bottom member each include at least one attachmentmember, whereby said at least one panel member is suspendable below saidbottom member.
 5. Apparatus of claim 3 wherein said at least one panelmember and said bottom member each include a plurality of attachmentrings, whereby said at least one panel member is suspendable below saidbottom member by tethering the attachment rings of said at least onepanel member to the respective attachment rings of said bottom member.6. Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flexible barrier has attachmentmembers on respective opposed ends thereof for adapting said flexiblebarrier for attachment to material capture means at either end of saidflexible barrier.
 7. Apparatus for recovering material from a body ofwater, said apparatus comprising:barrier means for confining at leastsome of the material within a predetermined recovery zone; capture meansdeployable in the recovery zone to capture material from the body ofwater, said capture means having a top opening, a bottom member, frontand back walls, and side walls, said front and back walls and said sidewalls extending upwardly from said bottom member to define an internalpassageway, said capture means having a top opening communicating withsaid internal passageway, said capture means having a positive buoyancy,such that said front and back walls extend above the surface of the bodyof water when said capture means is deployed, said back wall extendingabove said front wall for directing material which spills over saidfront wall downwardly into said passageway, said bottom member having anopening communicating with said passageway, said opening beingpositionable in fluid communication with an external storage device,whereby material in said passageway is conductible by gravity feed intothe external storage device and wherein said front and back walls eachhave inwardly extending flanges for defining said top opening and forurging material which spills over said front wall into said passageway.8. Apparatus of claim 7 further including storage means for storingmaterial received from said capture means and conduit meanscommunicating between said bottom opening and said storage means forconducting material from said capture means by gravity feed into saidstorage means.
 9. Apparatus of claim 8 wherein said storage meansincludes at least one collapsible storage tank having an internalstorage chamber, said tank having at least one inflatable member tomaintain said tank in a positively buoyant condition and a base portionhaving a ballast material for maintaining said tank in a relativelystable, upright position, said tank further including meanscommunicating with said storage chamber for allowing material to enterinto and to be removed from said tank.
 10. Apparatus of claim 9 whereinsaid means communicating with said storage chamber includes couplingmeans for receiving said conduit means, whereby material is conducted bygravity feed from said capture means to said storage tank.
 11. Apparatusfor confining material from a body of water within a predeterminedrecovery zone, comprising:barrier means for confining at least some ofthe material within a predetermined recovery zone; and means operativein the recovery zone for urging material toward said barrier means, saidurging means including at least one marine vehicle having a pushingdevice mounted on a bow portion thereof for deflecting material ahead ofthe vehicle and having mounting structure, connected between the bowportion of the vehicle and the pushing device, comprising means formaintaining at least a portion of the pushing device in alignment withthe bow of the vehicle.
 12. Apparatus of claim 11 wherein said portionof said pushing device includes a stationary central plate, said pushingdevice further comprising first and second wing plates located in frontof said central plate, respective portions of said central plate andsaid wing plates being submerged for exerting a pushing force on thewater ahead of said vehicle, said first and second wing plates beingmovable laterally with respect to said central plate to adjust a lateralextent of said pushing device.
 13. Apparatus of claim 12 furtherincluding means for adjusting the lateral extent of said pushing device,said adjusting means including first and second toothed racksrespectively connected to said first and second wing plates and a pinionin meshing engagement with said first and second racks, rotation of saidpinion in a first direction separating said racks and said first andsecond wing plates to increase the lateral extent of said pushingdevice, rotation of said pinion in a second direction, opposite fromsaid first direction, drawing said racks and said wing plates toward oneanother to decrease the lateral extent of said pushing device. 14.Apparatus of claim 13 wherein said central plate and said wing platesdefine a concave pushing surface, respective top and bottom portions ofsaid plates terminating in respective curved flanges, the top and bottomcurved flanges of said central plate defining respective top and bottomchannels for receiving at least portions of the respective top andbottom flanges of said wing plates for guiding a lateral movement ofsaid wing plates.
 15. Apparatus of claim 11 wherein said pushing devicehas a concave pushing surface.